


Nostalgic

by whatswronglittlefellow



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Contemplation, Gen, Grief, Not a ship fic, friendships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23406493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatswronglittlefellow/pseuds/whatswronglittlefellow
Summary: Garnet visits Rose’s fountain and contemplates her relationship with her.
Relationships: Garnet & Rose Quartz (Steven Universe)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Nostalgic

Standing there at Rose’s fountain, Garnet felt nostalgic.

The fountain was empty of gems. She was the only sentience standing by the water, now. And as she looked out at the graceful sculptures of her former leader, Garnet felt nostalgic.

She missed idolizing Rose Quartz. She seemed to be such an impossibly kind and good person. Ever patient, ever welcoming. A beautiful revolutionary, without whom Earth would be just another barren rock. Without whom, she’d have never formed.

But when she looked at those graceful forms now, her mind recalled Rose Quartz’s treachery, lies, and her days as a Diamond. It was hard to balance those two versions of her in her mind.

She grieved for who she thought Rose was. It was so much simpler to feel nothing but adoration towards someone. All these secrets having been brought to light made her feelings towards Rose much more complicated. She wondered if she should even love her. She wondered if Rose ever did love her.

_Was that a lie, too?_

_No,_ she told herself. _Rose loved me. Rose loved all of us, genuinely._

Garnet took off her glasses and pressed her left hand against her face.

When she thought of Rose Quartz, she thought of a near-god, a regular gem just like her, but extraordinary in her radical ideas and passion for freedom. She thought of the infinitely compassionate leader of a strand of rebels, soft to the touch and with cascading pink hair. She thought about one of her best friends. She thought about someone who she could trust would be there for her.

Pink Diamond’s memory was a caustic one. She thought of an evil overlord, all sharp points and searing fuschia angles. She thought of a gloved hand gripping tightly the Earth and the liberty of its inhabitants, squeezing out their life and will. She thought of her conniving nature.

_Yes, she was conniving alright, but the rest?_

She thought about Spinel, Pearl’s secret, Bismuth’s bubbling, and the mental havoc Rose wrecked upon her son.

 _Rose must’ve really hated herself,_ she thought. Garnet placed her hands on her hips and looked out at the sparkling body of water. She had been pacing unknowingly.

Rose Quartz (it felt weird to even refer to her by that name now. Was her true name not Pink Diamond?) was a weird mixture of truth, lies, goodwill and damaging mistakes. Part of Garnet felt betrayed, and another part of her wanted to move on, leaving the past in the past. Both could not deny their lingering warmth towards her.

When that powerful figure died, Garnet felt lost. She had spent thousands of years practically worshipping her. She felt lost in a different way now. In Rose’s untimely absence, at least her memory was a warm embrace Garnet could fall back into. In the countless years of love, friendship, loyalty, and compassion, Rose was always there for her. She was an idol not to be questioned. She was as perfect as a gem could be.

 _Obviously, that’s incorrect!_ Garnet chastised herself. _No gem nor human is perfect._ She put her left hand on her right arm and reminded herself to breathe.

Garnet felt nostalgic for simpler times which were objectively worse, when all she had was Rose and Pearl and Amethyst. Rose was their beacon shining in the dark. Rose was like a warm place of shelter shielding them from a raging storm outside. Rose was assured love and safety. It’s such a shame that she now left a sour taste in the fusion’s mouth.

Garnet wished to return to a time where her admiration towards Rose was unbridled and uncomplicated. She wanted to go back to when Rose was alive, to when Rose was a guiding force in her life! She wanted to see her again and feel nothing but joy in her chest! She wanted to hold that perfect image of Rose Quartz in her head forever! After all, who had she spent a thousand years fighting for? Who had she spent so many years mourning over?

Garnet was weeping. Only a little bit, but she was crying nonetheless.

She missed Rose. She loved Rose still, but there were people in the world who still existed, who still supported and loved Garnet back. She should go make some new, warm memories with them. She could already see them laughing in the sun. Yes, that's what she will do.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading. Have a good day. :-)


End file.
